Metro Government

Louisville Metro Council announced the schedule for two public hearings on a proposed ordinance to significantly increase the tax rate on most insurance premiums in the city, part of a plan advocated by Mayor Greg Fischer...

Mayor Greg Fischer unveiled a plan on Wednesday to dramatically increase the tax rate on certain insurance premiums over the next four years, in an effort to fill a $65 million budget hole over that time...

In a bold move to keep new tax revenue in-house, small cities are considering matching Metro Council’s proposed increase to the insurance premium tax. To fill a large budget hole created by escalating pension costs, Mayor Greg...

Mayor Greg Fischer warned of the potential of “devastating” cuts to city services and staff layoffs without new tax revenue on Thursday, citing an expected $65 million budget gap over the next four years due the...

City leaders have denounced an apparent hate crime directed at a Hindu temple earlier this week, as it was broken into and desecrated with graffiti. At some point between Sunday night and Tuesday morning, officials said,...

State

A bill was introduced Wednesday in the Kentucky General Assembly just before the filing deadline for legislation that would raise the state gas tax by 10 cents per gallon, in addition to imposing new fees and...

After failed attempts last spring and in a 24-hour special session in December, Kentucky lawmakers will try to pass pension reform once more this session. Filed on the final day for new bills, House Bill 504...

Neil Ramsey announced his official resignation from the Kentucky Retirement Systems board of trustees at its meeting on Thursday, two months after he first announced that he would resign over a legal conflict. Following an Insider...

The Louisville Urban League’s next free felony expungement clinic on March 2 is already fully booked, but in the meantime the nonprofit is seeking legal volunteers to help that clinic run as smoothly as possible for...

A bill that would legalize and regulate wagering on sporting events in Kentucky and earmark tax revenue to the state pension system easily passed through a legislative committee Wednesday morning. House Bill 175 would allow Kentuckians to...

By Perry Bacon Gov. Matt Bevin is unpopular — a poll released in January by Morning Consult found that he ranked 45th among America’s 50 governors in terms of favorability (though, the five below him are no longer...

By Amye Bensenhaver In an era when virtually every public official gives lip service to the importance of transparency and accountability, what is it that motivates a legislator to introduce a bill that abridges these twin goals?...

Street cave-in reported in Phoenix Hill neighborhood

By Insider Louisville on August 3, 2018

Sewer cave-in at the intersection of Baxter and East Liberty Street. | Photo by WLKY

Part of the street collapsed Thursday around 4:15 p.m. at the intersection of Baxter Avenue and Liberty Street, according to MSD officials.

MSD said inspectors were immediately dispatched and discovered a hole in the pavement that was 5-feet by 8-feet and appeared to be growing. Initial inspections showed that the void under the pavement is approximately 15-feet by 30-feet, and 10- to 12-feet deep.

MSD officials say aging infrastructure is to blame. “It’s 140 to 150 years old, two ring brick sewer. Remarkable they last that long, but once a storm gets a hold of them, they wiggle a brick or two loose they can collapse,” said Brian Bingham with MSD.

No injuries have been reported.

There is currently no estimate on the repair timeline, but MSD said there was no interruption to sewer service in the area.

This site is close to a cave-in that happened in June that was a result of a break in a 30-inch brick sewer line, installed in 1871, MSD said.

Reposted from https://insiderlouisville.com/government/street-cave-in-reported-in-phoenix-hill-neighborhood/